Owner’s Manual

After a nine year absence from Super Bowl advertising, Volkswagen returned with this great spot, created by their new ad agency Deusch/LA.

BlueSport Concept

These are the cars of tomorrow making their debut at various auto shows worldwide in order to guage public reaction.  These are some of the offerings from Volkswagen that you’re likely to see on the road soon.

1.  SportBlue -- sporting a TDI diesel engine with an estimated 54 mpg, this leaves the hybrids behind with almost twice the horsepower of a Prius.

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Bottom Line: Put it in NEUTRAL!

Toyota Motor Corp.’s unprecedented decision to halt sales on its most popular models in the U.S. underlines the biggest question dogging the world’s No. 1 car maker: whether it has sacrificed quality in its quest to capture global market share.

The Japanese car maker, which long has been viewed as the leader in automotive quality, told dealers in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday to stop selling eight models, including the popular Camry and Corolla sedans, in response to growing concerns that possible defects may cause the vehicles to accelerate unintentionally.

We have been following this saga closely for obvious reasons.  For years, Toyota has set the bar for quality and reliability.  Now, it seems, that the emperor has no clothes.  Hopefully Toyota will fix the accelerator problem and get back on track.  But you have to wonder what, if any, lasting ramifications this will have in the mind of the American consumer.  Toyota didn’t even have one model on the IIHS top ten list of safest vehicles.

For more on this story:  http://leogibbons.com/blog/tag/toyota/

On again, off again, this time it’s on…at least for now.  Spyker has agreed to up it’s bid for Saab, and it appears to be a done deal.  The deal is reportedly worth about $500 million. The sale comes after a year of trying to peddle Saab. One deal with Swedish sport car specialist Koenigsegg AB had already fallen through. GM was so certain that a buyer wouldn’t be found that they even sent two advisors in to start liquidating the company. Assuming the sale closes, the company will be called Saab Spyker Automobiles but will still use the Saab brand.

Source:  Business Week

An update to the runaway Toyota story:  Toyota has finally recalled 2.3 million of it’s vehicles for hundreds of “unintended accelaration” reports, after admitting that the problem may not be floor mats getting stuck under the accelerator.  Check out the Volkswagen Jetta at 3:19, with “smart throttle” technology, which allows the brake to override the throttle.

While other manufacturer’s are cutting back, laying off workers, closing down plants and filing bankruptcy, Volkswagen is expanding.  VW wants to sell 800,000 cars by the year 2018.

The new plant in Chatanooga Tennesee will build the next generation Passat, which will be larger than the current offering, with a price target starting under $20,000, which will compete with Toyota’s popular Camry in the mid-sized sedan segment.  VW projects 2,000 jobs will be created at the new facility, with an additional 6,000 jobs to be filled by nearby VW suppliers.

WDEF News 12 covers Volkswagen and their decision to build a major automobile plant at the Enterprise South Industrial Park in Chattanooga Tennessee.

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VW's new Concept Coupe is already winning awards

Detroit, MI — Volkswagen of America, Inc. is proud to announce that their latest concept, the New Compact Coupe (NCC) Hybrid, has been named the “Best Concept” by AutoWeek at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. Every year, editors from AutoWeek search the halls of the world’s biggest auto shows, and pick their favorite vehicles on display. The NCC, with its advanced TSI gasoline-electric full hybrid system, fresh styling, and a Grand Touring-style interior, is Volkswagen’s latest alternative fuel powertrain concept with an eye to the future. Along with the winning vehicles in three other categories from the show, the NCC was announced as winner of the “Best Concept” Editor’s Choice award this morning, at the 2010 AutoWeek Design Forum held in Detroit. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Although the hybrid concept rolled out at the Detroit Auto Show recently is a coupe, the styling gives us a clue as to what the next-generation Jetta, slated to hit dealer lots this summer, will look like.

Finally…a sports coupe that gets 45 mpg!   VW estimates this new yet-to-be-named coupe to be available within two years.  Click the below link for more photos and description.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110011123910/vw-new-compact-coupe-concept-unveiled-for-detroit-debut

Elizabeth James' Prius suffered extensive damage after racing out of control at over 90 mph.

Complaints keep piling up from irate Toyota and Lexus owners who claim their cars have rocketed out of control for no apparent reason.   Sixteen deaths are currently being investigated, and over 2,000 complaints have been received since 2005 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Toyota recalled millions of vehicles for faulty floormats that they claim were getting stuck under the accelerators, but is that the real problem?  Not according to some survivors.  Safety officials declared in November that replacing 3.8 million vehicles’ floor mats “is simply an interim measure, not a remedy of the underlying defects in the vehicles.”

NHTSA responds to Toyota’s “innacurate and misleading claims”

ABC News:  Terror on the Roads

LA Times:  Runaway Toyota cases ignored

WTFX Fox Philadelphia:  Toyota recalls 3.8 million floor mats

Auto sales in the US could rise 20% in 2010 due to pent up demand and stronger credit markets, according to a respected automotive research group.  

Deliveries will climb to 12.4 million from 10.3 million in 2008, the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Center for Automotive Research (CAR) said today. U.S. sales were 13.2 million last year, after averaging 16.8 million this decade through 2007.

The average car on the road today is 10.5 years old.  At some point it just makes sense to trade for a new or newer used car, rather than face ever increasing maintenance costs. 

Source:  Bloomberg

Center for Automotive Research

The Volkswagen Tiguan (left) received the Insurance Institute's top rating of "good," which means the small SUV's roof was able to withstand a force four times its weight. The Kia Sportage (right) was rated "poor," the institute's lowest rating.

 If you’re ever involved in a roll-over accident, this information will be extremely important to you.  For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has conducted roof strength tests and used the results in their overall safety ratings.

In the above photos, it’s easy to choose which vehicle you’d rather be driving if it rolls onto it’s roof.   The trick is to choose the right vehicle BEFORE the accident (like when you’re car shopping). 

But the Sportage is $7,000 less you say?  Perhaps, but you’ll burn through $7,000 in a few short hours in ICU.  It’s not worth the gamble, especially if you have children riding in your vehicle.

source:  http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr111809.html